(MENAFN) Vikas Swarup, a career diplomat-turned-author, reminisces about his first diplomatic posting in Ankara, Turkey, where he gained valuable insights into building relationships and working with different cultures. Swarup credits the leadership of then-Turkish Prime Minister Turgut Ozal and Indian Premier Rajiv Gandhi for bilateral visits that helped rediscover each other's countries. His experiences in Turkey molded his entire future, and he considers his time in Turkey as an important posting.
After his three-year posting ended in 1990, Swarup returned to Turkey in 1993 to handle the visit of then-Indian President Shankar Dayal Sharma. Later, he accompanied incumbent Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Turkey in 2015 to attend a G20 summit in the Mediterranean province of Antalya. Swarup was closely associated with the reciprocal trips of Ozal and Gandhi, which allowed him to gain firsthand experience of how VIP visits contribute to the development of bilateral ties between two countries.
Swarup's first diplomatic posting was an opportunity to learn the Turkish language and culture. He took a six-month course in Turkish in Ankara, which helped him develop good Turkish speaking skills. During a TRT program, other guests could not tell whether he was Indian or Turkish, which was a significant compliment. According to Swarup, his senior colleague, Alok Singh, was the first Indian diplomat to learn the Turkish language in 1976.
Swarup is the author of three books, including Slumdog Millionaire, which turned into a global hit movie. He retired from the Indian Foreign Service in 2021, after serving as India's High Commissioner to Canada. Currently, he is working on new stories.
Swarup's experiences in Turkey highlight the importance of building relationships and working with different cultures in the diplomatic service. His time in Turkey allowed him to gain valuable insights into the workings of bilateral ties between two countries and VIP visits. Swarup's first diplomatic posting was an essential part of his career, and he remains grateful for the experience.
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